From September 1, 2026, Russian retail outlets will not be able to refuse a buyer to confirm their age, preferential status, and participation in loyalty programs via the Max messenger. The corresponding government decree has been published on the official portal of legal acts.
According to the document, the seller is obliged to provide a technical base for verifying such information if the buyer presents it through a multifunctional information exchange service. At the same time, the use of Max ID remains voluntary for the buyer: paper documents are still accepted on par with the digital format.
The Max ID function, which allows confirming age, social status of a pensioner, and a number of other information, appeared in September 2025. At the same time, the service began testing in Pyaterochka and Perekrestok, then Magnit, Lenta, Dixy, Auchan and other networks joined them. From September 1, the presence of such an option will become mandatory for all retail trade in the country.
